Chapter one of UBD/DI is about how Understanding by Design and Differentiated Instruction are combined together to improve the atmosphere of the classroom. Understanding by Design helps teachers find a way to give students the tools and resources to understand and apply what is going on in class in a certain content area to their life and other classes around them. This is mainly through broad questions that make the students think. Also this is where teachers determine how to test their students’ abilities on the content. On the other hand, Differentiated Instruction is teachers use to overcome barriers that a student may have with learning the material. When these two are put together they allow for good content and excellent direction. The rest of the chapter shows examples of classrooms that may be using the differentiated instruction and understanding by design. The chapter also emphasizes the need for teaching students at their level of expertise, this means not just giving more work to the more advanced students and less work to the students who do not quite grasp the content. The chapter also informs the reader that when using differentiated teaching with understanding by design they must create a classroom environment that is not only fit for one student to learn and gain knowledge but to fit your classroom environment to every student.
Chapter 1 Synthesis
The class agrees that the main idea is that teachers need to consider their students’ needs. To do this teachers must create a positive relationship with the students and must be able to think of creative ways that will help their class as a whole be successful. The class also thought that being flexible with your curriculum and we must adapt our lesson plans to our class. In addition this will make more flexible classrooms. They thought that this was important for both differentiation and understanding by design because as a teacher you need to be able to balance both your content knowledge with the pace in which the whole class is comfortable with. Some of the class also thought it is important to understanding by design that you teach from the standards however you must not always showcase how much you know because you as a teacher are there to teach not just spout off facts that some of the students may not be able to remember. In other words a way to reach the needs is to not be overly specific while also teaching the content that you are required to teach.
In chapter one of Integrating Differentiated Instruction & Understanding by Design, we learn about the differences and similarities of differentiated instruction and understanding by design. We see how they both work and how they are used in a classroom together. By providing specific examples, and different situations we are able to see the different types of planning and consideration that go into teaching with differentiated instruction and understanding by design. It is very important to consider where a student comes from, what their background is like and what knowledge they are bringing to the classroom. By knowing where students are starting in the class, as well as background knowledge of how they learn and what works best for them, this is incorporating the differentiated instruction into teaching. By then designing a curriculum and assessments that fit all types of student’s needs, this incorporates the understanding by design aspect into teaching. It is essential that both of these models are used in tangent. If only differentiated instruction is used, then there is no action for the consideration that was given for the student’s needs. If understanding by design is solely used than there is no careful consideration of how and why a curriculum should be designed and implemented. In my classroom both models will be extremely helpful. In a math classroom students come in with vastly different knowledge and willingness to learn. By doing things such as pre-assessment, I will be able to gauge where students are starting and what students may need extra help or modified work. Also by talking to previous teachers and discussing how students did in previous years will give me the background I need to help make them successful in my classroom.
Cheyenne
The first chapter discusses the differences between Understanding by Design and Differentiated Instruction. Each of these are essential to creating a successful curriculum and work hand in hand with each other. Understanding by Design centralizes around what is taught and how it is taught to students in an effective manner. Differentiated Instruction focuses less on the subject matter and more on the students it is being taught to. It ensures that curriculums take into account the variety of student and the ways they need to learn. Teachers must have a clear understanding of both of these concepts and be able to use them effectively in their classrooms to ensure student success. While they are both important on their own, without the other, they make the curriculum fall flat. The chapter moves on to discuss ‘axioms and corollaries.’ Axioms are core ideas of Understanding by Design and corollaries are ways in which Differentiated Instruction will allow the axioms to be accessible and work successfully. These are the building blocks to reaching all of your students needs while still keeping the subject matter and assessment strong and engaging for the students. Many times teachers will be far more competent in one area over the other, which results in a weaker class. Either they neglect students needs and focus instead on the curriculum, which results in less overall understanding of the material and can result in students having a strong disliking of the class. The other way around, with teachers focusing too hard on the individual needs of each student that their curriculums are weak and perhaps far too easy or lacking in direction and meaning.
Lydia
I have learned that to make a difference I must think of the students first. To do that I have to also think of how the learning environment will affect them, how well I teach Social Studies as well as finding creative ways to teach a variety of different learners. To do this I must come up with different activities that keep each of the students’ attention. One thing that will impact my class in a big way is the proficiency of the students in a certain subject area. Some students would like a challenge; while others may want to take a step back and learn the fundamentals first. This is when I need to create an opportunity, perhaps a project, which allows each student to work at their own skill level. I must also assist the students that need more help by setting up a study group as an option to help learn more of the content at their own pace. I have also learned that teaching is a learning process in itself. To be able to help students I must learn what works best for them as a learning tool. I must also use the tools in a way that will help the student grow and give them a better understanding of Social Studies. UbD and DI will help me combine what I am teaching and using the right process to get my content information through to a student in an enjoyable way that will make the student want to learn more. In doing this my students will be excited about coming back to my class and learning more.
Shane
In this chapter I found it very interesting to learn the differences about the Differentiated instruction and Understanding by Design. I was happy to see that they actually explained the book title. One of the things that hit home most with me was how it is difficult to address different things about learning. There are so many factors that come from the outside world and some of those are race, language, parental support and culture. Most teachers find it hard to find a curriculum that covers all bases for students needs, but in theory it is almost impossible to cover all of the bases on the first try. This is important for me because I need to know that in my class I may end up making a whole curriculum and then just going back and fixing it later to compensate for the adversity in my classes. I need to know that I am going to have students that are going to have different learning habits, this will help me see who I am teaching, and how to get the information across. Understanding by Design is the depth that I can convey my knowledge to my students. In social studies if I teach the dates and dates only my kids won't get anything out of it. I need to know my content so I can teach the kids to see the whole forest and not get lost in the trees when it comes to content. Saying this the big pictures will be the depth and the little details will help me fill the holes.
Cory
The first chapter of this book focused on the definition of the two phrases in the title; differentiated instruction and understanding by design. From my understanding, differentiated instruction is the depth of knowledge that we as teachers have and need. If we do not have the knowledge in our subject, we can’t expect to successfully pass it on to our students. In social studies this is extremely important. We can’t just teach our students about the dates of the battles and treaties of World War II, they need more of the big picture instead of the little details. We need to understand the factors leading up to the war, the ideology of each nation that helped cause the war, the leaders of each nation, and the aftermath of the war on top of the generic dates if we want our students to fully understand World War II. The second definition in this chapter is differentiated instruction. Differentiated instruction focuses on the differences in student learning habits; it also focuses on the who, where, and how we teach. This is very important to teaching in general because we need to understand that all students learn differently. If we assume all students learn the same, then the students that enjoy the one teaching style will love my teaching, but I will lose every other student. As teachers, we need vary our teaching styles for each subject to help us hit every student’s learning needs; no teacher can play favorites and assume their other students are inadequate because they don’t respond to one teaching style.
Laura
I thought that breaking down the components of Understanding by Design and Differentiated Instruction into axioms and corollaries was extremely helpful in allowing me to understand what the two concepts are all about and how they work together (especially after reading Chapter 9). I did have one specific question arise while reading page 9, however, and it is something that I feel is important to consider when drafting lesson plans and implementing them. In the scenario following Axiom 5, Mr. Axelt provides his students with the same assignment and questions and he differentiates the resources given to the students based on what he knows about their strengths and weaknesses. For example, the text says, “[s]tudents who have a need for support with vocabulary received a key vocabulary list of essential words and clear explanations of the words. Students who need structure in gathering data worked with a graphic organizer designed to help them categorize ideas they found. Mr. Axelt also designated resource materials at various levels of difficulty… Students are generally accustomed to such designations… and generally select resources appropriate for them” (Tomlinson & McTighe, 9). While I understand how this example demonstrates differentiated instruction and I can see how students might benefit from materials and aids that are tailored to their needs and capabilities, I am curious as to how these differing resources are implemented into the classroom in a way that is either confidential or does not make students feel “grouped” in terms of their abilities or lack thereof. In other words, how do teachers effectively prevent segregation that may lead to bullying or self-confidence issues while still using differentiated instruction? This is something that I will want to be aware of in my future classroom as I do not want my students to feel segregated.
Sarah
Understanding by Design is the model that educators need because it acknowledges the core of standards. But also because it demonstrates how meaning and understanding can not only originate from, but also frame content standards so that students develop power of minds as well as gain an information base. Differentiated Instruction offers a framework for addressing learner variance as a critical element of instructional planning. Both of them together address two of the greatest contemporary challenges for teachers. The first of which is crafting a powerful curriculum in a standards dominated time period. The second greatest challenge is ensuring academic success for a full spectrum of learners that compose today’s schools. The partnership of the two models is essential where teachers aim to help each and every student to develop to their maximum capacity. Understanding by Design’s primary goal is to define and guide the application of principles of curriculum design. It is primarily a curriculum design model. Differentiated Instruction on the other hand, is primarily an instructional design model. Its primary goal is to ensure that teachers focus on the processes and procedures that provide effective learning for varied individuals. The big take away that I got from this chapter is that a quality classroom requires quality curriculum and quality instruction which is why Understanding by Design and Differentiated Instruction go together. It’s not enough for a teacher to teach in a way that satisfies a variety of learning styles if there isn’t a good curriculum. In the same way it is not enough for there to be a good curriculum if the teacher can’t help all individuals learn.
Cooper
One aspect of this reading I found particularly interesting was the section on the whom, what, where, and how for teachers. An understanding of each of these elements is crucial to having an effective classroom. Having an understanding of the who (the students) gives you the opportunity to adjust a lesson for a number of students with different needs, going into a classroom without an understanding of who you are teaching the material to inhibits your ability to convey the material effectively. Understanding what your teaching should be go without explaining. Of course knowing what you are teaching is necessary to teach it, but the difference between having an adequate and a mastery understanding of your content can make a huge difference in the adaptability of your lesson plan. If you know your content beyond what you are required to know you can deviate from a lesson plan easily if you start to sense it doesn’t resonate with your class, whereas just a baseline understanding doesn’t allow for that kind of flexibility. Understanding where you are teaching is also crucial for teachers as the learning environment can make or break a student’s experience in the classroom. If you do everything correctly but a student is exposed to a hostile classroom environment that could all be for nothing because they might not be able to focus in class or the student might not come to class altogether. Finally the how is crucial because the way in which you teach the material to the class and the strategies you use in the classroom are ultimately going to be the final barrier between you and the student and an effective use of strategies can make your classroom operate that much more effectively.
Katelin
This chapter was helpful in explaining what the difference between UBD and DI and how important they are in the classroom, as well as what they were. Understanding by Design and Differential instruction are sort of a package deal and you have to have both of them to teach. UBD works more with the curriculum and focusing on how students can understand, versus DI focuses on the instructional aspect and paying attention to the diversity in the classroom. The goal of every classroom is to provide knowledge for every student, so these have to tie in together. Something that stood out to me was the who, what, where, and how is always going to be something to think about when I’m teaching. I loved the scenario where the teacher had the students break into groups of a student with every view point, to discuss questions the teacher gave them. This was great because it was a clear example of how the lesson was going to help the teacher in later units. I also really enjoyed the team teaching aspect because it is a very realistic point that teachers learn from each other and teachers become better teachers from other teachers and I will do this. I absolutely loved the part when the teacher let the students choose a level in their graphic organizer because students usually select the level that is appropriate for them. I found that when I thought about this for myself, I absolutely select my comfort level, or I try to challenge myself. So it was a great way for students to really be on their own in choosing, but it is still helping himself.
Rhi
A specific part that stood out to me was on page 6 when it was made a point that “All learners” need to benefit from classes and that whether you have struggling students or advanced students, both need to be getting the same amount out of the class. A struggling student may need more help understanding parts of the content, or an advanced student may know more about a subject than another, but as the teacher, we have to find ways to “differentiate instruction” and focus on getting the whole class involved. I took it to heart when I read about giving the struggling students opportunities to work with the teacher on areas they may be lacking. During times in a class where the students are doing worksheets or working on homework could be a great time to get in touch with the students who may need a little extra explaining. I also like how it emphasized making sure to focus on the important knowledge of a unit and helping them make connections to past years in school rather than going on tangents about information that might not be necessarily “imperative to know”. I would like to focus a lot in practicum on how to engage students who may not generally get involved or helping them to understand things that maybe needs more explaining. I know that growing up I had a hard time getting all the information I needed during class time, but that conversation with teachers and having that one on one interaction and feeling comfortable asking questions was very helpful to me and I hope to be able to have that sort of comfort and relationship with my future students.
Dominick
This chapter mainly focuses on two concepts, the first being understanding by Design and the second is Differentiated Instruction. Differentiated Instruction basically deals with differences among students’s learning habits. Differentiated Instruction also deals with who we teach, where we teach and how we teach. Understanding by Design and Differentiated Instruction brings forth key elements when trying to construct a curriculum. Understanding by design contains axioms, which in a nutshell are necessary truths to know. The first axiom is to help students progress and deepen their understanding of a certain subject. In my opinion the more important of the two is Differentiated by Design because addressing every students needs in terms of learning is important. If the teacher cannot make a connection with the students then that is a failure on the teacher’s part. A teacher must be able to connect with all of their students in order to be a good a teacher. Understanding by design is also important because when teaching students the depth of the knowledge is important for them to understand. Take a history for example. When discussing the Declaration of Independence it is important to know the date when it was signed, but it is also important to know where it was signed, who signed it, why was it written, what is the point of it and what effect did it have at that time in America? Both concepts are very important to know and teachers must meet both of these standards when teaching their students.
Chapter 1 Abstract Lydia
Chapter one of UBD/DI is about how Understanding by Design and Differentiated Instruction are combined together to improve the atmosphere of the classroom. Understanding by Design helps teachers find a way to give students the tools and resources to understand and apply what is going on in class in a certain content area to their life and other classes around them. This is mainly through broad questions that make the students think. Also this is where teachers determine how to test their students’ abilities on the content. On the other hand, Differentiated Instruction is teachers use to overcome barriers that a student may have with learning the material. When these two are put together they allow for good content and excellent direction. The rest of the chapter shows examples of classrooms that may be using the differentiated instruction and understanding by design. The chapter also emphasizes the need for teaching students at their level of expertise, this means not just giving more work to the more advanced students and less work to the students who do not quite grasp the content. The chapter also informs the reader that when using differentiated teaching with understanding by design they must create a classroom environment that is not only fit for one student to learn and gain knowledge but to fit your classroom environment to every student.
Chapter 1 Synthesis
The class agrees that the main idea is that teachers need to consider their students’ needs. To do this teachers must create a positive relationship with the students and must be able to think of creative ways that will help their class as a whole be successful. The class also thought that being flexible with your curriculum and we must adapt our lesson plans to our class. In addition this will make more flexible classrooms. They thought that this was important for both differentiation and understanding by design because as a teacher you need to be able to balance both your content knowledge with the pace in which the whole class is comfortable with. Some of the class also thought it is important to understanding by design that you teach from the standards however you must not always showcase how much you know because you as a teacher are there to teach not just spout off facts that some of the students may not be able to remember. In other words a way to reach the needs is to not be overly specific while also teaching the content that you are required to teach.
Table of Contents
Sara
In chapter one of Integrating Differentiated Instruction & Understanding by Design, we learn about the differences and similarities of differentiated instruction and understanding by design. We see how they both work and how they are used in a classroom together. By providing specific examples, and different situations we are able to see the different types of planning and consideration that go into teaching with differentiated instruction and understanding by design.It is very important to consider where a student comes from, what their background is like and what knowledge they are bringing to the classroom. By knowing where students are starting in the class, as well as background knowledge of how they learn and what works best for them, this is incorporating the differentiated instruction into teaching. By then designing a curriculum and assessments that fit all types of student’s needs, this incorporates the understanding by design aspect into teaching.
It is essential that both of these models are used in tangent. If only differentiated instruction is used, then there is no action for the consideration that was given for the student’s needs. If understanding by design is solely used than there is no careful consideration of how and why a curriculum should be designed and implemented.
In my classroom both models will be extremely helpful. In a math classroom students come in with vastly different knowledge and willingness to learn. By doing things such as pre-assessment, I will be able to gauge where students are starting and what students may need extra help or modified work. Also by talking to previous teachers and discussing how students did in previous years will give me the background I need to help make them successful in my classroom.
Cheyenne
The first chapter discusses the differences between Understanding by Design and Differentiated Instruction. Each of these are essential to creating a successful curriculum and work hand in hand with each other. Understanding by Design centralizes around what is taught and how it is taught to students in an effective manner. Differentiated Instruction focuses less on the subject matter and more on the students it is being taught to. It ensures that curriculums take into account the variety of student and the ways they need to learn. Teachers must have a clear understanding of both of these concepts and be able to use them effectively in their classrooms to ensure student success. While they are both important on their own, without the other, they make the curriculum fall flat. The chapter moves on to discuss ‘axioms and corollaries.’ Axioms are core ideas of Understanding by Design and corollaries are ways in which Differentiated Instruction will allow the axioms to be accessible and work successfully.
These are the building blocks to reaching all of your students needs while still keeping the subject matter and assessment strong and engaging for the students. Many times teachers will be far more competent in one area over the other, which results in a weaker class. Either they neglect students needs and focus instead on the curriculum, which results in less overall understanding of the material and can result in students having a strong disliking of the class. The other way around, with teachers focusing too hard on the individual needs of each student that their curriculums are weak and perhaps far too easy or lacking in direction and meaning.
Lydia
I have learned that to make a difference I must think of the students first. To do that I have to also think of how the learning environment will affect them, how well I teach Social Studies as well as finding creative ways to teach a variety of different learners. To do this I must come up with different activities that keep each of the students’ attention. One thing that will impact my class in a big way is the proficiency of the students in a certain subject area. Some students would like a challenge; while others may want to take a step back and learn the fundamentals first. This is when I need to create an opportunity, perhaps a project, which allows each student to work at their own skill level. I must also assist the students that need more help by setting up a study group as an option to help learn more of the content at their own pace.I have also learned that teaching is a learning process in itself. To be able to help students I must learn what works best for them as a learning tool. I must also use the tools in a way that will help the student grow and give them a better understanding of Social Studies. UbD and DI will help me combine what I am teaching and using the right process to get my content information through to a student in an enjoyable way that will make the student want to learn more. In doing this my students will be excited about coming back to my class and learning more.
Shane
In this chapter I found it very interesting to learn the differences about the Differentiated instruction and Understanding by Design. I was happy to see that they actually explained the book title. One of the things that hit home most with me was how it is difficult to address different things about learning. There are so many factors that come from the outside world and some of those are race, language, parental support and culture. Most teachers find it hard to find a curriculum that covers all bases for students needs, but in theory it is almost impossible to cover all of the bases on the first try. This is important for me because I need to know that in my class I may end up making a whole curriculum and then just going back and fixing it later to compensate for the adversity in my classes. I need to know that I am going to have students that are going to have different learning habits, this will help me see who I am teaching, and how to get the information across. Understanding by Design is the depth that I can convey my knowledge to my students. In social studies if I teach the dates and dates only my kids won't get anything out of it. I need to know my content so I can teach the kids to see the whole forest and not get lost in the trees when it comes to content. Saying this the big pictures will be the depth and the little details will help me fill the holes.Cory
The first chapter of this book focused on the definition of the two phrases in the title; differentiated instruction and understanding by design. From my understanding, differentiated instruction is the depth of knowledge that we as teachers have and need. If we do not have the knowledge in our subject, we can’t expect to successfully pass it on to our students. In social studies this is extremely important. We can’t just teach our students about the dates of the battles and treaties of World War II, they need more of the big picture instead of the little details. We need to understand the factors leading up to the war, the ideology of each nation that helped cause the war, the leaders of each nation, and the aftermath of the war on top of the generic dates if we want our students to fully understand World War II. The second definition in this chapter is differentiated instruction. Differentiated instruction focuses on the differences in student learning habits; it also focuses on the who, where, and how we teach. This is very important to teaching in general because we need to understand that all students learn differently. If we assume all students learn the same, then the students that enjoy the one teaching style will love my teaching, but I will lose every other student. As teachers, we need vary our teaching styles for each subject to help us hit every student’s learning needs; no teacher can play favorites and assume their other students are inadequate because they don’t respond to one teaching style.
Laura
I thought that breaking down the components of Understanding by Design and Differentiated Instruction into axioms and corollaries was extremely helpful in allowing me to understand what the two concepts are all about and how they work together (especially after reading Chapter 9). I did have one specific question arise while reading page 9, however, and it is something that I feel is important to consider when drafting lesson plans and implementing them. In the scenario following Axiom 5, Mr. Axelt provides his students with the same assignment and questions and he differentiates the resources given to the students based on what he knows about their strengths and weaknesses. For example, the text says, “[s]tudents who have a need for support with vocabulary received a key vocabulary list of essential words and clear explanations of the words. Students who need structure in gathering data worked with a graphic organizer designed to help them categorize ideas they found. Mr. Axelt also designated resource materials at various levels of difficulty… Students are generally accustomed to such designations… and generally select resources appropriate for them” (Tomlinson & McTighe, 9). While I understand how this example demonstrates differentiated instruction and I can see how students might benefit from materials and aids that are tailored to their needs and capabilities, I am curious as to how these differing resources are implemented into the classroom in a way that is either confidential or does not make students feel “grouped” in terms of their abilities or lack thereof. In other words, how do teachers effectively prevent segregation that may lead to bullying or self-confidence issues while still using differentiated instruction? This is something that I will want to be aware of in my future classroom as I do not want my students to feel segregated.
Sarah
Understanding by Design is the model that educators need because it acknowledges the core of standards. But also because it demonstrates how meaning and understanding can not only originate from, but also frame content standards so that students develop power of minds as well as gain an information base. Differentiated Instruction offers a framework for addressing learner variance as a critical element of instructional planning. Both of them together address two of the greatest contemporary challenges for teachers. The first of which is crafting a powerful curriculum in a standards dominated time period. The second greatest challenge is ensuring academic success for a full spectrum of learners that compose today’s schools. The partnership of the two models is essential where teachers aim to help each and every student to develop to their maximum capacity. Understanding by Design’s primary goal is to define and guide the application of principles of curriculum design. It is primarily a curriculum design model. Differentiated Instruction on the other hand, is primarily an instructional design model. Its primary goal is to ensure that teachers focus on the processes and procedures that provide effective learning for varied individuals. The big take away that I got from this chapter is that a quality classroom requires quality curriculum and quality instruction which is why Understanding by Design and Differentiated Instruction go together. It’s not enough for a teacher to teach in a way that satisfies a variety of learning styles if there isn’t a good curriculum. In the same way it is not enough for there to be a good curriculum if the teacher can’t help all individuals learn.Cooper
One aspect of this reading I found particularly interesting was the section on the whom, what, where, and how for teachers. An understanding of each of these elements is crucial to having an effective classroom. Having an understanding of the who (the students) gives you the opportunity to adjust a lesson for a number of students with different needs, going into a classroom without an understanding of who you are teaching the material to inhibits your ability to convey the material effectively. Understanding what your teaching should be go without explaining. Of course knowing what you are teaching is necessary to teach it, but the difference between having an adequate and a mastery understanding of your content can make a huge difference in the adaptability of your lesson plan. If you know your content beyond what you are required to know you can deviate from a lesson plan easily if you start to sense it doesn’t resonate with your class, whereas just a baseline understanding doesn’t allow for that kind of flexibility. Understanding where you are teaching is also crucial for teachers as the learning environment can make or break a student’s experience in the classroom. If you do everything correctly but a student is exposed to a hostile classroom environment that could all be for nothing because they might not be able to focus in class or the student might not come to class altogether. Finally the how is crucial because the way in which you teach the material to the class and the strategies you use in the classroom are ultimately going to be the final barrier between you and the student and an effective use of strategies can make your classroom operate that much more effectively.Katelin
This chapter was helpful in explaining what the difference between UBD and DI and how important they are in the classroom, as well as what they were. Understanding by Design and Differential instruction are sort of a package deal and you have to have both of them to teach. UBD works more with the curriculum and focusing on how students can understand, versus DI focuses on the instructional aspect and paying attention to the diversity in the classroom. The goal of every classroom is to provide knowledge for every student, so these have to tie in together. Something that stood out to me was the who, what, where, and how is always going to be something to think about when I’m teaching. I loved the scenario where the teacher had the students break into groups of a student with every view point, to discuss questions the teacher gave them. This was great because it was a clear example of how the lesson was going to help the teacher in later units. I also really enjoyed the team teaching aspect because it is a very realistic point that teachers learn from each other and teachers become better teachers from other teachers and I will do this. I absolutely loved the part when the teacher let the students choose a level in their graphic organizer because students usually select the level that is appropriate for them. I found that when I thought about this for myself, I absolutely select my comfort level, or I try to challenge myself. So it was a great way for students to really be on their own in choosing, but it is still helping himself.Rhi
A specific part that stood out to me was on page 6 when it was made a point that “All learners” need to benefit from classes and that whether you have struggling students or advanced students, both need to be getting the same amount out of the class. A struggling student may need more help understanding parts of the content, or an advanced student may know more about a subject than another, but as the teacher, we have to find ways to “differentiate instruction” and focus on getting the whole class involved. I took it to heart when I read about giving the struggling students opportunities to work with the teacher on areas they may be lacking. During times in a class where the students are doing worksheets or working on homework could be a great time to get in touch with the students who may need a little extra explaining. I also like how it emphasized making sure to focus on the important knowledge of a unit and helping them make connections to past years in school rather than going on tangents about information that might not be necessarily “imperative to know”. I would like to focus a lot in practicum on how to engage students who may not generally get involved or helping them to understand things that maybe needs more explaining. I know that growing up I had a hard time getting all the information I needed during class time, but that conversation with teachers and having that one on one interaction and feeling comfortable asking questions was very helpful to me and I hope to be able to have that sort of comfort and relationship with my future students.Dominick
This chapter mainly focuses on two concepts, the first being understanding by Design and the second is Differentiated Instruction. Differentiated Instruction basically deals with differences among students’s learning habits. Differentiated Instruction also deals with who we teach, where we teach and how we teach. Understanding by Design and Differentiated Instruction brings forth key elements when trying to construct a curriculum. Understanding by design contains axioms, which in a nutshell are necessary truths to know. The first axiom is to help students progress and deepen their understanding of a certain subject. In my opinion the more important of the two is Differentiated by Design because addressing every students needs in terms of learning is important. If the teacher cannot make a connection with the students then that is a failure on the teacher’s part. A teacher must be able to connect with all of their students in order to be a good a teacher. Understanding by design is also important because when teaching students the depth of the knowledge is important for them to understand. Take a history for example. When discussing the Declaration of Independence it is important to know the date when it was signed, but it is also important to know where it was signed, who signed it, why was it written, what is the point of it and what effect did it have at that time in America? Both concepts are very important to know and teachers must meet both of these standards when teaching their students.